One SSB jawan martyred, eight hurt in militant attack in Srinagar

Militants attacked a paramilitary force convoy on the outskirts of Srinagar on Friday evening, killing a jawan and injuring eight others.

The incident took place at Zakura when militants fired at the vehicles of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) carrying its personnel to their camp after performing law and order duties in the city, officials said here.

Banned Al-Umar Mujahideen terrorist organisation claimed the responsibility for carrying out the attack and also warned of similar actions in near future. This outfit had become dormant in the early part of 1990s and ceased to exist after its chief, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar alias 'Mushtaq Latram', was arrested in 1992.

Zargar was one of the three prisoners exchanged for passengers of IC-814 plane that was hijacked by Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group in 1999.

Besides Zargar, the other two released were Jaish chief Maulana Masood Azhar and Sheikh Omar.

The claim by the outfit signalled revival of the militant group in Kashmir after more than two decades.

In Friday's attack, one jawan of the SSB was killed and eight others were injured, the official said.

The injured, who included a policeman, have been admitted to a hospital for treatment.

Security forces immediately cordoned off the area and launched search operations to track down the militants. This is the first militant attack in the city since the encounter at Nowhatta on August 15 in which a CRPF commandant was killed and nine other personnel were injured.